Chapter 46 Where Is The Caged Bird Curse Mark On Your Forehead?

"It's much better now, unlike the time when Grandma just left. There was almost no smile on her face. If the old man hadn't stopped me, I would have brought her to the camp and let you stay with her."

Speaking of Kushina, Tsunade started rubbing her hands nervously. After transferring the Nine Tails, Kushina had been emotionally unstable. On top of that, the Nine Tails was unwilling to be sealed and kept causing trouble, making Kushina physically uncomfortable for a long time. Tsunade's heart was always in her throat.

She was worried that Kushina might not be able to pull herself out of her sorrow, and at the same time, she feared that the Nine Tails would break free and cause chaos. The Uzumaki clan's Sealing Techniques were powerful enough to suppress tailed beasts, but Kushina was still too young. Furthermore, the Nine Tails was the most powerful of all the tailed beasts. More than once, Kushina had been burned by its chakra, hiding under her blankets to cry.

"She'll get through this. Kushina is a strong and perseverant child. As for the Nine Tails, when she grows up, she'll be able to fully suppress it."

No one else could help her with this—it was something Kushina would have to overcome herself.

"By the way, how are things in the village?"

"Don't even mention it," Tsunade sighed, feeling a headache coming on. "The old lady, Koharu, has been jumping up and down ever since she moved to the council. She's been hoping that the old man would transfer the medical system's authority to her. After he refused, she started defending Danzo."

Shimura Danzo was no saint, and the same could be said of Koharu. Together with the other elders, they were always up to no good. But compared to them, Akimichi's faction seemed more reliable.

"Shimura Danzo is ambitious, with dirty hands and an even dirtier heart. The Third Hokage appears to be a hero, but he's done a lot of questionable things. And Koharu and Mito are no better—they cling to their power and refuse to let go, constantly scheming with Danzo."

Shigeru curled his lips. "It's no surprise. These people hold onto their authority tightly. Koharu used to control the medical system, so of course, she's not happy that it's now in Akimichi's hands."

"She's trying to exonerate Danzo to pressure the Hokage and get an ally."

"You've got it."

Tsunade nodded, agreeing with Shigeru's analysis. Then, suddenly, she laughed.

"Now Akimichi Tōfū is assisting the Hokage. He doesn't want the job, but he's stuck with it. Even if he's targeted, he can only hang onto the medical system."

"If he knew you suggested this to Grandma, he'd probably curse you."

"That wasn't me. It was Mito-sama's idea!" Shigeru chuckled, happy to avoid the blame.

"Right." Tsunade's expression turned serious. "The village plans to send a team to the Land of Rain to respond to Sand Shinobi's provocations. A new war might break out."

To ensure a smooth transition between Jinchūriki, Konoha had tolerated Sand Shinobi's provocations. But now that Kushina, the new Nine Tails Jinchūriki, had stabilized, Konoha was ready to push back.

However, Shigeru wasn't too worried. "I don't think the war will start so soon. For now, it's just provocations and small-scale skirmishes. A full-blown war won't break out unless someone crosses the line."

He shrugged. "Besides, even if war starts, I'm not exactly the first choice for the battlefield. I'll probably be stuck in the medical camp treating the injured. I'm not risking my life for people like the Third Hokage."

Tsunade grinned. "You say you're a medical ninja, but you're stronger than most combat ninjas."

She was right. Tsunade was the only medical ninja who could lead a charge while her teammates provided support.

"Stop talking about me," Shigeru said, waving his hand. "You take care of yourself. You may be a medical ninja, but you're the toughest person on the battlefield."

"Alright, alright," Tsunade laughed. "I know I've been reckless in the past, but I can't be like that anymore. Grandma's gone. I have a lot of responsibilities now. Most importantly, I have to look after you."

"Me?" Shigeru raised an eyebrow, then joked, "What have you been eating lately? You've grown a lot."

"Stop it!" Tsunade scolded, pressing down on his wandering hands. "Naoki and I have special identities, and no one can mess with Kushina since she's the Nine Tails Jinchūriki. But you—"

She frowned, thinking about the Hyuga clan's curse seal on Shigeru's forehead.

"I swear, the Hyuga clan..." she muttered angrily.

In the past, Tsunade had always rushed to the front lines without hesitation. But now, with people like Shigeru and Kushina depending on her, she couldn't be so reckless.

"Yeah, damn the Hyuga clan," Shigeru said with a grin.

After teasing Tsunade for a while, he noticed she was getting worked up. "How about we play a game to cool off?" he suggested.

"No, I'm not in the mood," Tsunade said, swatting his hand away.

Shigeru raised his hand to his forehead. "How about you help me with this?" he said, signaling for Tsunade to remove his forehead protector.

"You're the only person I know who wants to expose their cursed seal," Tsunade muttered as she tugged at his protector, not eager to see the mark.

But when she pulled it off, she froze.

"Wait... where's the curse mark?"

She blinked, rubbed her eyes, but it wasn't there.

"The curse mark... it's gone."

Shigeru grinned. "Remember when you asked me why I smelled like paint?"

"Yeah, but..." Tsunade was confused. "You told me it was from painting at home."

"Well," Shigeru said, leaning closer, "the curse mark was painted on."

"That's impossible!" Tsunade exclaimed. "The Caged Bird Curse Seal is unbreakable. Even Grandpa and Second Grandpa tried to remove it and failed!"

Shigeru pointed to his eyes, which glowed faintly. "Maybe my eyes aren't degenerating."

Tsunade stared at his blue, star-like eyes and fell silent. Could it be? Had his Byakugan... evolved?